Jodie Foster has revealed she feels like she's moved on to the next level since receiving her special Golden Globe.

The 50-year-old star, who has worked in Hollywood as actress, writer and director for more than four decades, reflected on her career after being honoured with the Cecil B DeMille lifetime achievement prize at this year's ceremony.

"It's a big, long career, and it's not just a career; it's friendships and relationships. This is the first lifetime achievement award I have ever gotten, and it does feel like a graduation," she told People.com.

Former child actress Jodie - who gave an emotional speech as she received her gong - insisted she has no plans to retire from the big screen, but said: "Change is important. You know, hopefully I'll be doing different things than I did when I was three years old and six years old and 10 years old and 20 years old, and that your work evolves. My work is evolving.

"I am very surprised that I ended up doing the same job that I did from the time I was three. I never thought that this is what I would do when I grew up, but I realise that I get to exercise so many other aspects creatively."

Jodie, who acknowledged her two sons and ex-partner Cydney Bernard in her speech, also paid due credit to her mother, saying: "My mum is an amazing inspiration for me.

"She picked me up from school and took me to see foreign films, sometimes two or three, and she wouldn't let me do my homework because she really wanted me to see movies. She passed that along to me. I think that permeated my early career."